Fueling the fear. Administration says some Americans fighting with ISIS have returned

[cali]

The Obama Administration believes some Americans who have fought alongside the militant group Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS) have returned to the United States, a senior Administration official said Monday.


During a briefing for reporters Monday in the ornate Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the Administration’s efforts to address the issue of so-called foreign terrorist fighters, the official said that the latest assessment from National Counterterrorism Center is that more than 100 Americans have attempted to fight in Iraq and Syria alongside ISIS or the al-Qaeda affiliated al-Nusra Front.

“It includes those who’ve gone, those who’ve tried to go, some who’ve come back and are under active—the FBI is looking at them,” the official said. “These are FBI matters, I refer you to them on specifics.”

It marked the first official government confirmation that at least some of the Americans fighting alongside the Islamist extremist group have returned to the U.S. As late as Monday morning, Secretary of State John Kerry said on MSNBC that “we have over 100 fighters there from America,” leaving out any mention of Americans who have returned.

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http://time.com/3418455/isis-isil-barack-obama-us/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+time%2Ftopstories+%28TIME%3A+Top+Stories%29

So what did this official really say? He said they believe- not that they know, but that they believe. So it's really just speculation, and what could be the purpose of publicly speculating?

[NYC_SKP]

1. It may well be true. And, if it is true, what would be gained by not informing the public?

Or are we going to leap at a conclusion or "speculate" that it's all a ruse to drum up fear?

I won't speculate, but it seems reasonable to believe that, of 100 or more US citizens involved in ISIS, some have returned.

Our government probably has pretty solid intel about some of these but don't want to tip their hand, so keep it a bit vague.

Oh, there I go speculating again!

[cali]

2. they clearly don't know it it's true, so why broadcast something that may or may not be factual?

and yes, I think it's legitimate to speculate about motivation here. Obviously the administration wants as much support as it can get.

And honestly, it shouldn't be difficult to identify and keep very close tabs on anyone who has returned. Those people are going to be young and male and their passports will give strong clues.

[former9thward]

6. Passports only tell you what they want you to know.

When I was in Cuba they didn't stamp my passport because they knew it may cause problems at home. I was in Vietnam and Laos before it was legal to go there and they did not stamp my passport. I have been in Israel a couple times where they did not stamp my passport because they knew I was going to certain Arab countries later that do not allow in people who have been to Israel.

That said I agree the IS is invading us meme is nonsense and just another way to spread fear and support for war in the population.

[cali]

7. Most foreign fighters for ISIS are entering through Turkey

in any case, we do profile and the profile of those joining up with ISIS isn't exactly a broad one.

[leftstreet]

3. 17+ Intel agencies, but they only 'believe'

and they don't even know if these people did more than 'attempted' to fight 'along ISIS'

What a bunch of bullshit

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

4. I'll be checking under my bed as soon as I finish putting up the blackout curtains.

[GeorgeGist]

8. OMFG ...

Keep piling deeps.

I'm not gonna bite.

[MohRokTah]

9. So what's the big deal?

Sounds to me like they're treating this as a law enforcement issue, as it should be.



What's the big deal? This is good to know but beyond that, what's the big deal?

[cali]

11. What is the purpose of issuing this information-

and it's not really information. They don't know.

[kwassa]

16. The purpose of this information is to warn Americans of a threat.

They have some kind of information that leads them to believe this is true.

[MohRokTah]

18. Transparency.

I notice people complain at a lack of transparency adn then when the administration is transparent about an issue, they then pivot and try to indicate there are ulterior motives.

Some times, a cigar is just a cigar.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

10. Canada was canceling passports of those who left to join ISIS,

presumably so they couldn't return. Why wouldn't the US do the same?

[LanternWaste]

12. I think a lot of people are intentionally confusing the words 'fear' and 'concern.'

I think a lot of people are intentionally confusing the words 'fear' and 'concern.' But then again, I'm the first to admit that "fueling the concern" doesn't have that self-styled bumper-sticker wit that melodrama so often requires.

[cali]

13. I'm not convinced there's a difference in this context.

Do you really think that the administration is so lofty they don't use time tested methods of keeping the public "concerned", in order to cement support for a war effort?

[OilemFirchen]

14. This is remarkable.

Posters on this thread, predisposed to distrust anything emanating from the government or the "mainstream" media, suddenly implicitly trust said media on their reportage of a an unnamed Administration official, and presume that said official is telling the entire truth.

I love DU.

[cali]

15. No, I'm not predisposed to distrust the government on everything

but why would you doubt this. It was an official briefing to multiple reporters. And I for one, don't discount everything that comes out of the MSM.

but whatever. At least some of us actually think instead of mindlessly going along with whatever military intervention is proposed by a democratic president.

[OilemFirchen]

17. I wasn't actually responding to you.

Accordingly, the "Posters on this thread".

You're a gem.